No. 2 Aug 26

The University News A Student Voice of Saint Louis University Since 1921

Vol. XC No. 2

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Billiken soccer preview

Meet new head coach Mike McGinty >>PAGE 10

BRING YOUR VUVUZELA

Reigning A-10 champions seek to add another title >>PAGE 9

PLUS: SGA President trades business casual for camping gear >>PAGE 2 Music festival brings fresh beats to the St. Louis area >>PAGE 7

Public safety changes faces Former FBI official named director of newly reorganized campus security

SGA: on the record for shared governance

By SEAN WORLEY

By ERIKA MILLER

Assistant News Editor

Enterprise Editor

The first Saint Louis University Student Government Association meeting of the 2010-2011 academic year was held on Wed., Aug. 25 in the SGA senate chambers. While many of the seats in the chamber were empty, SGA tackled quite a few important issues.

Because many senate seats have yet to be filled, the lack of senators caused SGA to suspend their usual quorum.

To accommodate the currently-empty seats, SGA temporarily amended their policy so that bills and amendments would only need 15 votes to be passed.

Historically, 23 votes were needed. If any students are still interested in applying for SGA, applications will still be accepted until Tues., Aug. 31.

Lack of attendance did not hinder SGA productivity. They tabled three bills for one week to be voted on next week and passed a statement of shared governance.

The first bill dealt with the recent administrative changes in the Department of Public Safety. SGA has made efforts to create a stronger relationship with campus security through its Safety Concerns Committee.

The Safety Concerns Committee will be “comprised of a minimum of 4 [SGA] members” and “will maintain contact with campus security and any other pertinent administrators,” according to the Senate bill. SGA is hoping to gather ideas as to how to handle safety concerns

Come Sept.

7, the department responsible for the safety of Saint Louis University students will be undergoing some major changes. The Department of Public Safety now has a new leader, a revised name and hopes to establish a new image.

The reorganized department will be led by Roland Corvington, currently of the FBI. Corvington will serve as an assistant vice president and director for the department.

This reflects a decision by the university to elevate the position as head of the safety department administratively from the status of director to an assistant vice president, which will allow Corvington more flexibility to initiate changes in SLU’s safety efforts.

With Corvington’s hiring, Sam Simon, former emergency preparedness director, and Mike Lauer, former DPS director, will be leaving the university. Both Simon and Lauer served with the St. Louis Police Department prior to their service at SLU. Ken Hornak, who is serving as the interim director, said that both Simon and Lauer have always been supportive of the department and of the university.

“In their time, the department had a lot of ‘positives’ and SLU was definitely a better place because of them,” Hornak said.

Infographic by Ryan Giacomino

Along with staff changes, the SLU community will notice a name transition from “Department of Public Safety” to “Public Safety and Security Services.”

According to Hornak, the name was changed in order to encompass other services within the department. In the meantime, both students and officers have continued to call the department DPS. The SLU website has the “Department of Public Safety and Security Services” listed, and Lauer is still listed as the director. Corvington said that renaming the department was already part of a process when he was brought in, and that he did not suggest the name change.

Though the department is

Res Life gears up for overflow, new director

By KRISTEN MIANO News Editor

For the third year in a row, the Department of Housing and Residence Life finds itself with a housing overflow at the beginning of a new school year.

The Manresa Center, an off-campus facility used Saint Louis University for retreats and conferences, has been serving to accommodate the overflow until the university can find permanent places for the students who are living there to stay.

According to Dawn Aldrich, Associate Director for Residential Education, as of Aug. 25, there were still 51 students living in the Manresa Center.

“We will process those students into on-campus spaces as they become open the first few weeks of the fall semester,” said Aldrich, “Last year we had all the students out of Manresa by Sept. 4.”

In the meantime, Manresa has been staffed similarly to the on-campus resident halls, and a shuttle has been transporting the students living there to the Busch Student Center so that they can attend class.

This year, freshmen room assignments were sent out later than usual. They were not processed until after the last SLU 101 session on July 9 in order to accommodate special rooming requests.

“They were sent out as planned due to accommodating Learning Community, [FirstYear Interest Group] requests, roommate requests, etc.” said Aldrich.

In addition to alleviating an immediate housing shortage for SLU students, Housing and Res Life is also adjusting to changes in its own department leadership.

Alvin Sturdivant, last year’s director of Housing and Res Life, is not returning to SLU this fall.

According to Aldrich, he

accepted an Assistant Vice President position in Student Development at Seattle University.

A committee is being formed this fall to conduct a national search for a new candidate to fill his former position.

Applicants will begin coming to campus in September and October.

Dean Smith stated that Housing and Residence Life posted the position a month ago and has received several responses. Candidate screening will start soon.

“Alvin did a wonderful job and I wish him well at Seattle University. He did good things for us,” said Smith, “We hope for three strong, viable candidates to bring to campus and choose from by the first of October.”

Smith also mentioned that both he and Housing and Res Life are making student input in the search process a priority.

“We will definitely want the Student Government Association’s and the Residence Hall Association’s input and thoughts.”

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Changing identities

Read and Recycle The University News prints on partially recycled paper.

undergoing “reorganization” according to the university, Hornak said that all services will remain the same, including SLU ride, student escort services, the blue emergency poles and campus patrols.

The main area in which change will be evident is in the improved image that the department hopes to create with students. New efforts will be made to increase interaction between students and the department.

“We don’t want students to think we’re out to get them.

We want them to interact and understand that we’re trying to provide the best services we can,” Hornak said.

Most of these changes will be the result of assessing

current risks within the department and also gauging student and faculty perception of the safety department.

“It is important to understand how students feel about [the department],” Corvington said. He said he hopes to increase engagement with the SLU community by talking to as many people as possible to figure out what direction the service needs to go in.

Previously, Corvington served as the special agent in charge of the Eastern District of Missouri, an area that covers more than 50 counties. In this role, Corvington oversaw all FBI security, intelligence and See “Safety” on Page 3

brought up by students through working closely with DPS administrators.

Committee members are anticipating meeting with newly appointed Roland Corvington, the new Assistant Vice President and Director of the Department of Public Safety and Security Services.

Additionally, a statement of shared governance was successfully passed. It has been in the development process since the summer.

“We really want to work together [with the administration],” SGA President Courtney Anvender said.

The idea of creating a stronger sense of shared governance is something Anvender is putting a lot of effort into. Already, there has been more collaboration between the Executive Board and the SGA Cabinet (composed of all SGA committee heads).

This early collaboration is intended to allow for the SGA to successfully work with the administration in order to create a “statement” of shared governance.

“It’s not a ‘them versus us’ thing,” stated Anvender.

She expressed that the SGA is more than willing to work cooperatively with SLU’s administration.

Anvender explained that this “statement” is more of a collection of ideas that SGA believes to define shared governance.

“It’s been well-received by the administrators we’ve worked with so far,” said Anvender. “We just want to See “SGA” on Page 2

Twist and shout: students welcomed back with hot dancing, icy treats

Shah (Yuqing Xia) / Photographer

On Aug. 21, Saint Louis University freshmen and upperclassmen were welcomed to campus with a free Grand Center Street Party. The Rescue Band played a number of covers of popular songs while students enjoyed free snow cones and popcorn. There was a profusion of glow sticks as students danced the night away.

SLU reaches out to two neighborhood charter schools

By ANDREA ROYALS News Editor

Saint Louis University has decided to sponsor two St. Louis charter schools, Shearwater High School and the Grand Center Arts Academy, both of which opened doors earlier this August.

By following the Jesuit mission of “men and women for others,” SLU has agreed to sponsor the schools in hopes to be of service to the St. Louis community. “[SLU sponsorship] is an expression of our mission and really nothing more than that,” said Steven Sanchez,

Assistant Provost and Frost Campus Vice President. “It is a community outreach and service initiative.”

Shearwater, located in the Fountain Park neighborhood at Ranken Technical College, began classes Aug. 2.

Shearwater seeks to lower the high school drop-out rate of disconnected youths, ages 17 to 21, in the St. Louis area by integrating mathematics, science, communication and financial education into the lives of its students, promising that each graduate will be fully prepared to enter college or the workforce. Students will attend classes in the morning and disperse to paid

internships in the afternoon, all the while learning how to become financially responsible.

The Grand Center Arts Academy, temporarily located at the Third Baptist Church, began classes Aug. 16.

Students of various social and economic statuses are welcome to come and explore different areas of the arts in its curriculum, which includes visual arts, music and theater. The Grand Center Arts Academy plans to be permanently located in the Beaux Arts Complex following the completion of renovations next spring. The school now serves children in

the sixth and seventh grades, but will add a grade each year until grade 12 is established.

In order for a charter school to receive accreditation in St. Louis, the school must obtain a sponsor from a college, university or the public school district, Sanchez said.

“The original law in the state of Missouri was primarily focused on using charters as a mechanism for improving urban schools where it was determined that that was the greater need,” Sanchez said.

Under Missouri law, charter schools may only be under See “School” on Page 3

News

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

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Let Us Introduce You

Courtney Anvender

SGA President embraces challenges in a new year, rides four-wheelers

By CHAD CARSON Contributor

When senior Courtney Anvender transferred to Saint Louis University from Miami University of Ohio after her freshman year, she hoped to make the most of her new home at SLU. She never thought that she would eventually lead her new home as the President of SLU’s Student Government Association.

“I pursued this position selflessly because I love SLU and feel like leading the student body is the best way to give back,” Anvender said. “I never thought I would run for president. But it was a weird thing in the back of my head.

If the job needs to be done [I] just do it. I saw there was a void I could fill.”

The position of president is not an entirely new role for Anvender. At her St. Louis-based high school, Cor Jesu Academy, she led her senior class as Student Body President during the 2006-2007 school year.

Though this is her second time leading her fellow students, Anvender said she strives to remain down to earth.

“I never want to forget that I’m a student first,” she said, noting her desire to get to know the student body. “I want students to look to me as a student, not an administrator. My main goal is to be approachable and really relate to students. I am one student out of 12,000.” Anvender said that she plans to stay connected to the groups that she’s already a part of and to still spend time with her friends in order to do this.

Anvender said she hopes to push policies that matter to students and to restore faith in the SGA. She said she believes that staying in tune with student needs will allow her accomplish real change.

These policies include updating the Pius XII Library and striving for greater transparency. Anvender said she hopes the Student Relations Committee will garner the support necessary from the

SGA: talks of Pius renovations continue Continued from Page 1

Noah Berman/Photo Editor

Senior Courtney Anvender, a transfer student and SGA President, loves camping, travelling and spending time with her family. She said she hopes to push policies that matter to students in order to restore faith in SGA. student body to push for these changes.

“This job already has forced me to broaden my perspective,” Anvender said. “I wanted to run a clean and positive campaign and the executive board agreed that this was the least cut-throat campaign [at SLU] in a longtime.”

Even before heading SGA, Anvender said she has made the most of her college experience. After transferring at the beginning of her sophomore year, Anvender said she decided to major in Political Science and International Studies.

“I actually should have graduated early, but decided to do an honors thesis for Political Science. I started it before I knew I was running for president,” Anvender said.

“I’m interested in international politics.”

Her interest in international issues took her to Europe, as

she studied abroad in London during 2009 and recently returned from studying at the London School of Economics and in Belfast, Northern Ireland this summer.

She said she hopes to continue studying Northern Ireland with a focus on the conflict between Catholics and Protestants.

Additionally, she said she has studied Arabic in the past and has her sights set on attending graduate school in Washington, D.C. Anvender also plans on applying for a Fulbright Scholarship to continue her interest in international relations.

In her free time, Anvender enjoys reading and spending time with her family. “I love to travel within the United States and internationally,” Anvender said. “I go fourwheeling and camping with my family. I love lakes. I love traveling.”

keep it in our back pocket so we can refer back to it if there ever was believed to be a breach of shared governance.”

SGA passed the resolution.

It will now be presented to the President’s Coordinating Council and the Board of Trustees. Anvender said that she hopes that the statement will eventually be included in the student handbook.

The senators stated that they would be passing the resolution as representatives of their constituents: the students.

“I just wanted to reiterate how [SGA] is the official voice of the student body,” Senator Kripa Sreepada said.

“They really need to see our transparency this year.”

Senator Patrick Grillot said that the resolution was something already being acted out by SGA, but this statement was “just putting it into words.”

SGA is also working toward creating a student creed and pledge that attempts to combat the diversity issues that plagued campus last year.

“This [creed] goes beyond diversity issues and it is more proactive than reactive,” said Anvender.

SGA hopes to formulate a code of conduct that describes what it means to be a student at SLU. “We have been meeting with the leaders of campus

multicultural groups and we want to ensure that everyone has a say,” said Anvender.

Once the creed and pledge are written up and approved by the administration, SGA is wants the documents to be strongly integrated into the First Year Experience program.

Last spring the Come Together party expressed its disappointment in the Pius XII Memorial Library, and vowed to work with the library administrators in order to bring needed renovations to the facility.

“Rather than advocating for a short-term Band-Aid renovation, we are advocating for a truly transformative renovation of the library as it currently exists,” Anvender stated.

SGA is conducting research of other Jesuit Universities and their libraries.

“Our role is to do research and put strategic pressure where needed,” said Anvender.

Fr. Lawrence Biondi, S.J. has requested that SGA present their report at the September PCC meeting.

She hopes to have SGA start working with Vice President for Frost Campus Manoj Patankar on this project. SGA says they are also striving to include student input. This will be accomplished in part through their first Town Hall meeting that will focus on the library.

While SGA is making

efforts to work on major administrative and structural issues, they are also working internally. Vice President of Internal Affairs, Murphy Vandenberg has been making strides in a direction that may have been lost in the past few SGA cabinets.

“We want to connect more with students and bring SGA back to the student level,” Vandenberg said.

Vandenberg hopes to accomplish this goal with a few new initiatives, one of which will be the incorporation of SGA Interns.

As an idea that was inspired by the University of the Holy Cross’s student government, SGA interns will work with the vice presidents and president.

It is anticipated that these new positions will create more student interest in SGA, as it is common for students to lose that interest after not being able to hold a senatorial position, Vandenberg said.

Vandenberg said that “[The Executive Board] is more low-key than past years and [they] want to bring that feeling back to SGA.” Anvender said that she was pleased with the year’s first meeting.

“I think it went well. It’s not a full house yet so that changes the dynamics,” Anvender said. “Discussion was good for the statement of shared governance and there is a lot of symbolism in that this was passed in the first meeting.”

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News

3

Thursday, August 26, 2010

SLU sees increase in transfer students

By MARKI BURNETT Contributor

Nationally and locally, the number of transfer students is increasing every year. In 2009, Saint Louis University welcomed 280 transfer students. This year, 370 students are in the process of transferring to SLU. “Most transfer students are from the St. Louis area, but at the same time, there is good national representation,” said Matt Schutte, Assistant Director of Transfer Recruitment.

Many students take their general education classes at a community college and then transfer.

By doing this, they may be able to save money and are given the opportunity to explore different majors before making a final decision.

Others transfer because their previous school does not offer a specific degree, program or major. Others, still, are simply unhappy and wish to change their environment.

Libby Dieters, a junior, transferred to SLU after spending one year at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

Dieters attended Dayton with the intent of studying prephysical therapy.

After one year, she changed her major to Athletic Training and sought out colleges offering that program.

“SLU’s athletic training program appealed to me, and I wanted to live closer to home,” Dieters said.

For some, entering a new college as a transfer student

can be a hard transition.

However, Schutte said the Office of Undergraduate Admission does a lot to help students transfer with ease.

“SLU offers a relatively simple application. We accept a wide variety of credit. We review applications and let students know their status quickly, and we offer better financial aid opportunities for transfer students than in years past,” Schutte said.

Dieters said she experienced no problems with the transfer process to SLU. “It was easier for me to transfer to SLU than to apply to Dayton. My faculty advisor was very helpful.”

The social aspect of college can create a challenge for transfer students as well.

For Dieters, she said this was the biggest struggle.

“The most difficult part was probably coming in as a sophomore because Welcome Week was more centered towards incoming freshman,” she said. “It was harder to meet people my age.”

Dieters said she believes that the best way for transfer students to find their niche is to get involved.

“Open yourself up, try new things and explore new activities. When I went to Dayton, I didn’t try to get involved,” Dieters said. At SLU, she is a member of SGA, the Finance Committee, the Committee of External Affairs and a sorority.

SLU offer more than 150 clubs and organizations and encourage transfers to join.

Dieters said she is happy with her experience at SLU. “If I had to do it again, I would do it the exact same.”

Ryan Giacomino/Photographer

The Department of Public Safety is in the process of changing its name and leadership. However, this will not change the services offered to all members of the SLU community, according to interim director Ken Hornak.

Safety: A new head for protection on campus Continued from Page 1

investigative operations in the area.

As a student at Western Illinois University, Corvington worked for campus safety and also served as a resident assistant. He understands how university campus culture operates and had always considered working at a university.

Security officers will continue their duties and will be highly visible and available to students. According to Hornak, safety department members have met with Corvington to discuss ideas and programs to increase officer interaction with

students in anticipation of a new era in SLU security.

“I found SLU’s reputation very attractive,” Corvington said.

Corvington said he hopes to increase campus engagement, security awareness within the SLU community and work to improve the accreditation of the service. He also said he hopes to engage all stakeholders in order to boost the service component of the safety and security service.

Safety officers are usually one of the first contacts students have on campus. Corvington said that the department wants to work on providing the best service to students.

Corvington’s law

School: SLU sponsors new Shearwater High School and Grand Center Arts Academy Continued from Page 1

operation in the city of St. Louis and Kansas City.

In St. Louis, charter schools are funded on a perpupil basis from the state of Missouri. Sanchez said that SLU does not fund the operation of the charter school, but rather oversees the operation by making sure that the board of trustees of the particular charter school adheres to the bylaws and agreements previously made with the university.

If SLU discovers that the charter school is not abiding by said obligations or state laws, then the university has the authority to remove sponsorship.

“Sponsors actually get compensation for [sponsorship] from the state of Missouri,” Sanchez said.

SLU will obtain 1.5 percent of the income generated from the fund for each charter school to defray the cost of sponsorship efforts; a sum that Sanchez said is not very substantial.

“That’s okay because we aren’t in it for money.

This is an outreach. We can verify that because we aren’t

bringing in barely anything,” Sanchez said. “We’re spending a lot of time and energy on it, which we should as good sponsors. You don’t take on the responsibility without being willing to provide very involved sponsorship.”

SLU can serve as an adequate sponsor for charter schools, Sanchez said, because of the wide variety of services and facilities that the university has, such as the educational, medical and fine arts departments.

Students within the educational department can practice student teaching at the charter schools, while SLU faculty can serve as mentors to the teachers.

Charter school students studying fine arts may use SLU facilities to broaden their educational experience by attending collegiate performances or visiting student art exhibits.

“Colleges are sort of weird, wonderful places because they have this array of expertise, service opportunity and outreach learning for everybody,” Sanchez said. “They can do things that other entities that might be a sponsor, such as a nonprofit organization,

cannot. Universities have this potential to offer so much more.”

In turn, students at charter schools may also be beneficial to the SLU community, as interns from Shearwater may be employed by the university.

Sanchez said that he hopes the two schools opening this year may be as successful as the City Garden Montessori, which SLU began sponsoring three years ago.

Since its opening, Sanchez said City Garden Montessori has flourished so much that many of the applicants are placed on a waiting list and several families have begun to move into the surrounding neighborhood just so that their children may attend the school.

Unlike City Garden, Shearwater High School and the Grand Center Arts Academy do not limit student attendance to boundaries and districts.

Instead, the schools welcome students from all regions of St. Louis city and county.

Sanchez said that charter schools serve as a mechanism for experimental education, offering a different approach

to teaching than public and parochial schools that may in turn improve the schooling of students.

He said that by exploring different models of pedagogy, charter schools have the ability to act as examples to public and parochial school models, and vice versa.

Opponents to charter schools argue that such an innovative model of education may take away from the curriculum of public schools by borrowing students from the district.

Sanchez argues that in order for public schools to improve, charter schools are necessary.

“If you don’t invest in research, you never change what you are doing.

Sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture,” Sanchez said, hoping that one day charter schools will put each other out of business.

“If done right, charter schools should improve and augment the public school to the point at which there would be no need for a charter school,” Sanchez said. “ The goal is to learn from the charter experience and go back and inform so that all education is better served.”

enforcement career spans more than three decades, including time in both the FBI and the private security sector. He has served as the FBI’s chief security officer, retooled the New Agents Training Program at the FBI academy and also served as the incident commander of the United Flight 93 crime scene following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Through his service, Corvington has extensive experience in officer training, criminal investigation, protective services and white collar crime. In a university press release, SLU President Lawrence Biondi, S.J. said, “SLU’s campus is very

safe. With his tremendous experience, skills and abilities, I know [Corvington] will help make our campus even safer.”

According to Hornak, the department is excited to have a new beginning and to work with someone of Corvington’s reputation.

“He is very family-oriented and can create good student interaction. It is a good allaround combination,” Hornak said.

He also said that Corvington’s experience will be a great resource to all SLU security officers and that both department personnel and the greater SLU community will be able to learn from him.

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President’s message cuts out DPS Each year, Saint Louis University administrators and planning committees work hard to improve campus at all levels. We are greeted to fresh fauna and faces everywhere we look. In this crowded and dynamic setting, it’s too easy to lose track of important news.

The Office of the President sends a monthly message summarizing the developments that the SLU administration undertakes. It also serves to outline future plans that SLU hopes to bring to fruition. All SLU students receive this gilded mailer.

This is also a message to SLU’s Board of Trustees, who especially have the right to know about the projects where their kind donations are being utilized. It is SLU’s attempt to give students and our highest benefactors a semblance of transparency.

While it attempts to relay important information, it fails to address its audience.

The messages are at least three to five pages in length; the June message was nine.

Students already have heavy textbooks and readings to absorb – at what impetus would we be willing to double click our e-mails and sift through pages of fine and wordy print?

We are capable of handling long reading, but we still need our news bites in some organized and prioritized fashion. Students understandably do not read the messages, resulting in key (if inefficiently expressed) information becoming lost.

The reason this problem needs to surface now is because the August message failed to include news on a key change that campus security is experiencing. It also buried truly important information inside a haystack of bureaucratic language.

The University News is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, the Student Press Law Center, the College Media Advisers and the Missouri College Media Association, a division of the Missouri Press Association.

The Department of Public Safety has replaced its CEO with a new director, as well changed its name to Public Safety and Security Services. This has created confusion among all of us, since we all understand the policing body by one name and not the other.

Not only is this carelessness troublesome to students, it’s also extremely problematic to the Board of Trustees who are equally uninformed in the message.

Important student issues such as the Grand Bridge Reconstruction and Hotel Ignacio, on the flip side, have been given brief paragraphs. Following these gems, we have a swath of thorny details outlining the minutiae of some reconstruction being done in Des Peres Hall.

The most important issues, such as the Grand Bridge Reconstruction and Hotel Ignacio, are not receiving attention – if at all.

While this may present clear information for our Board of Trustees, respectfully, students do not gain much from these messages. Since students also invest in the University (same as the Board of Trustees), we deserve to have our information tailored to our needs.

Information, especially in what many consider the Information Age, need to be relayed so that intended audiences can see information and absorb it.

This means that the messages either needs to have information arranged so that student-concerned news is first and other details come later. Important student-related news needs to be included as well.

This written communication can be improved as such, helping along studentadministration relations and transparency.

Fresh off of Welcome Week, students need to start molding smart studying habits and niches Drifting like forgotten sand after the library with outlets attached to tables, yellowwaves of activities from Welcome Week, lit lamps, and recliner chairs . Pius Library we are all feeling the adrenaline slow down has an air of hushed silence for individual and the pressure of classes building up. studying. Café Ventana offers an exciting This subtle transition will creep into our bustle for group study sessions as well as botGoogle calendars as socializing falls by the tomless cup coffee. Coffee Cartel earns its wayside, and chunks of time will be devoted fame for its determination to stay open and to studying (or its cousin, procrastination). caffeinated 24/7. Whatever the ambiance, Readings, and study sessions become the location can alter your focus and energy.

Food, drink and music also affect frenetic norm of the various cafés and libraries in and around campus. During this twisted party-planning. Coffee has ups and downs; rushes are these caffeine-filled great, but crashes can nights, the veterans leave you more unprowill set up their battle ductive. Snacks take stations. Favorite café?

Check. Favorite desk Readings and study ses- the edge off late-night Pandora and an in the library? Check. sions become the frenetic hunger investment in a good Favorite Pandora station? Check. Caffeine? norm of the various cafes pair of headphones is a habit.

Check. Armed with and libraries in and around near-universal Whichever path we weapons, we wage war campus. take, the problem that on our course load. plagues is time manageFor first year stument. No matter how dents, classes are new many promises we struggles. You have to forge an iron will outside of parental pres- make and break, we face nights where we sure. How do we veterans help them in start our task-list at midnight. Papers somethat organic process of finding study habits how write themselves in our imaginations and independent determination? While it’s while stoically remaining blank.

A strong sense of duty to academics and a personal evolution, we can try to assist youngsters with our golden methods. We internal will is needed. Time is a delicate hope that these rituals will help you on your burden that needs careful attention. College independence comes with the responsibility way to those mythical A’s.

Location can make or break a study to police ourselves. So let’s find that magic night. The Law Library is an old-school cup of coffee, and hit the books.

“

”

Posted below are the results from our web poll on The University News’ website.

These are the current opinions on the name for our new Billiken cartoon!

Adviser Jason L. Young jyoung42@slu.edu The Editorial Board of The University News Recognizes Avis Meyer, Ph.D. as the newspaper’s faculty mentor.

Peony Lee/Illustrator

What should the Billiken cartoon be named?

33%

Bender (old SLU football coach)

33%

Blue

26%

Claude (founder of the UNews)

7%

Baxter

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

chia,” Aug. 14 issue, by Jacqueline Fuqua, sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences Jacqueline Fuqua makes a valid point in her commentary regarding the importance of coal in Appalachia. Having just returned from spending a month with the Frontier Nursing Service in Leslie County, Ky., I have seen the way in which coal is one of the only sources of decent employment for Eastern Kentuckians, especially for men without any education beyond high school. Coal is an emotional, complicated issue; those of us who live in other regions of the country simply do not understand how criticizing the coal industry is seen as a true threat to an entire people’s way of life and livelihood.

I disagree, though, with the idea that coal mining is the only way those in Appalachia can make a living. To me, this idea sells these incredibly kind, resilient people short. Not only is coal not a sustainable resource, mining practices, such as mountaintop-removal, literally obliterate what nature has created in order to increase companies’ profits.

Holding on to coal mining as the only viable way for an entire region to survive is shortsighted. The people of Appalachia deserve more options for decent employment.

Coal mining may be a practical option for individuals without higher education, but it also creates a system in which schools are not held accountable for their failures. According to the US Census, 52.5 percent of people over age 25 are high school graduates in Leslie County, compared with 74.1 percent of Kentuckians overall. Only 6.3 percent of individuals over age 25 have a bachelor’s degree or higher; 17.1 percent of Kentucky residents do.

Miners may have well-paying jobs, but at what cost to their health, safety, land, and children’s futures? Instead of creating an emotional debate surrounding mining, both sides must work together to create realistic solutions before it’s too late.

-Annemarie Blitz is a sophomore in the School of Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences

Technology in the classroom a blessing or a curse?

As the new school year begins, I write to encourage The University News to report on computer use at Saint Louis University, especially computer use in the classroom.

There’s no doubt that the computer, especially the laptop, offers students (and teachers) a powerful tool for writing, research and learning. I compose almost entirely on a computer, and I organize my research online. This summer, I read several books on my iPad, and I found it great for highlighting and note taking. (It really saves on Post-its, which are bad for books anyway). In short, I like our new technological era, which is here to stay whether we like it or not.

But while I may not be a Luddite, I am a professor, and more than once I’ve had an experience that probably troubles every professor at this campus. You’re standing up there dropping your intellectual truth bombs, and you’re facing a sea of students clicking away on their laptops. But then you wander to the back of the room and see everyone updating their Facebook pages and trying to decide whether to unfriend their parents.

To be fair, I’ve begun to bust computer users in my most stentorian tones, only to find that they were simply pulling up the day’s reading in PDF form in order to save on printing. Still, it’s easy to recognize when students have floated away into the data cloud. It’s an issue we all should be talking about. Learning takes close, sustained attentionsomething that the Internet just isn’t very good at.

I’m not for banning computers from classrooms.

Technology has always changed education, and education has never succeeded in stopping the change by banning the technology. Still, I think it’s time we all took account of how we’re using or misusing our incredible electronic tools. Certainly it seems a subject worthy of the University News for the coming year.

-Dr. Paul Lynch, English Department (sent from his iPad)

Opinion

unewsonline.com The woes of Welcome Week College. For most freshmen undergrads, like me, this will be the first time that we live without the constant supervision and structure that our parents have provided us for over the past 18 years Unfortunately, my first four days on campus felt more like basic training than a simple “welcome to college”. From excruciatingly early wake-up calls, to a Welcome Week schedule more demanding than my actual course load, I was left exhausted by the first day of classes. I’m aware that most activities were optional; but then why was I hassled into a new group activity every time I considered taking a moment to catch my breath and unpack my things?

Welcome Week was a great opportunity Commentary to meet new people and explore n e w social options, but the b e s t moments were in Megan Saksefski the tiny margins outside the confines of the jam-packed agenda.

Some activities, such as residence hall floor meetings, are necessary and practical. Other events, however, seem like a waste of resources, and frankly, a waste of my precious last days of summer. I am not alone in my opinion, as I have heard the countless mumblings of other firstyear students saying they feel as if they are, “at church camp,” or, “lacking a moment to even settle into my room.”

I am not trying to say that the Welcome Week activities were poorly run in any way. The resident advisors and Oriflamme leaders were well-trained and knowledgeable enough to answer any questions an incoming freshman could possibly have, and were also very sociable.

I enjoyed the moments I spent talking with them - outside of the bustle of constant events.

Overall, my Welcome Week was overflowing with fun memories and brought about a plethora of new Facebook friends. Interestingly, most of those friends came from activities outside of those that were printed in my Welcome Week handbook..

Megan Saksefski is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences

Production night meditations Commentary

A pitter-patter of mice and keyboard tapdances ricochet around Priya Sirohi the room as editors fiddle away at their pages.

I sit here observing my comrades and absorbing the atmosphere of buzz and laughter, and I welcome a tendril of thought into my mind.

The art of perfecting pages involves finesse. Sports editors talk to opinion editors about quotes.

The photo editor needs details to the thousandth decimal place to size images.

Details, taunts, and jokes are lobbed from cubicle to cubicle in a wonderfully productive ambience.

Here, I learned about an artful flow of teamwork. From learning how to use Macs to arguing about story forms, I barreled through life’s lessons while among some of SLU’s most talented.

The night proceeds as editors vanish and frenetic pages rest perfectly. My quiet thoughts leave with them as my page, too, comes to a restful close.

Priya Sirohi is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences

5

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Mosque placement challenges us to redefine our patriotism Have you heard of Park51?

Chances are you have, but you may not know it yet.

Let me fill you in. Park51 is the official name for a proposed Islamic center (let’s call it a mosque) to be built two blocks from the Commentary World T rade Center.

That, I am sure, you have heard of.

What a b o u t this story has made Derrick Neuner it explosive?

Well, you see, it was almost nine years ago that a group of extremist Islamic jihads successfully launched the first terrorist attack on American soil in over sixty years.

The very thought of a mosque just blocks from where so many Americans, and others, lost their lives that tragic September morning has our country in a furor.

How dare anyone propose that a mosque dedicated to the destruction of America be anywhere near Ground Zero!

“

As educated people, we must pursue the truth and not fall into the traps of prejudices and biases, however difficult that may be.

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That’s hallowed ground; people died at the hands of Islam! The Muslim community has no right or reason to do such a preposterous thing!

I could go on, like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich did, comparing the leaders of the proposed Park51 to “Nazis [who] don't have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust Museum in Washington.”

Is this really the America we love?

No, it is not.

I do not necessarily support the decision to put an Islamic center so close to Ground Zero.

Peony Lee /Illustrator

I fear it may attract violence and hatred in what should be a safe and inviting environment.

But I am appalled to hear some of the comments that are coming from the ideological right that seem to suggest that Islam is a religion based on violence, and that all Muslims seek to destroy our nation.

Both statements are unequivocally false. As seen historically in Christianity, some followers of Islam have misrepresented their faith for violence.

But at their core, the pillars of Islam mirror the tablets of Moses, stating peace is to be found through faith in God, and justice among fellow human beings.

That seems to be overlooked in 2010. In the fever of an election year, radicals in the Republican Party are fear mongering against the proposed mosque in an attempt to score political points against a president that the majority of the party, according to CNN, believes is Muslim.

Palin emerges as new bard of ‘Twitter verse’ Every form of art has its geniuses. Sculpture has Michelangelo, theatre has Shakespeare, and quirky, animated cartoon shows on Fox that all seem to blur together after a while has Seth MacFarlane.

These are the old guard, the undisputed masters of their crafts.

But with the invention of the internet, it was only a matter of time Commentary before a new medium that comb i n e d b o t h c o m munication and Ben Eldredge ar tistic express i o n emerged. This bold new medium was Twitter.

Underestimated at first by the elitist pigs who scoffed at its 140 character limit and apparent pointlessness, the burgeoning application quickly gained followers with its inviting and innocuous nature.

Users found they could “Tweet” about literally anything, including where they were, what they were doing, what they were eating, and other things that so very few people care about.

However, not all of the Twitterverse is made up of this banality.

No, indeed there emerges a new player in the artistic field, one with the linguistic aptitude of Shakespeare himself.

She stands out amongst the rest as one who would

take the English language, hold it by its ankles and shake it down for spare change. But in a good way.

I am speaking, of course, about Sarah Palin.

Scoff all you want, I’ve heard it all before. “She makes up words” or “She doesn’t use proper punctuation” or “Her tweets are about as intelligible to the average person as Egyptian hieroglyphics.” Allow me to refuscitate these claims. First of all, you know who also made up words? Shakespeare. He gave us words like “dauntless,” “bedazzle,” and “sanctimonious.” Sarah is giving us the same stuff, with words and phrases like “refudiate” and “cackle of rads.” Just because no one is entirely sure what they mean isn’t cause to discard them right away. After all, English is an ever-changing language, one that has plenty of room to accommodate new words and definitions.

Secondly, to all you grammar Nazis out there who bemoan her incorrect use of punctuation: why don’t you just try cramming an entire, incoherent message representating your opinions and beliefs in 140 characters. It’s a wonderful way to get your message across, but much harder than it looks.

And as for the Egyptian hiero-whatsits, well I just don’t know what that means. I assume it has something with the gosh-darn liberal media trying to trap me with their big, made-up words.

Ben Eldredge is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences

Sarah Palin, who, along with Gingrich, wants to be our president, suggests that the mosque will be a training ground for terrorists. Is it any wonder why most of the Middle East holds an unfavorable view of the United States?

Therefore, I am extremely proud and grateful for President Obama (a Christian, by the way), for his strong remarks on Aug. 13, where he proclaimed that “America remains … a nation where peoples of different faiths [can] coexist peacefully and alongside one another.”

Obama also correctly noted that the war on terror is not a war on Islam. It was alQaeda, not the Islamic faith, which brought down the World Trade Center.

Would this conversation be taking place if the Pope requested to build a cathedral two blocks away?

And as a SLU student, I am deeply concerned with the mud being slung across the nation.

We are supposed to be taught to be men and women

for others. As educated people, we must pursue the truth and not fall into the traps of prejudices and biases, however difficult that may be.

Our mission is to distinguish opinion from fact, experience from preference.

Palin may believe that a mosque in downtown Manhattan will recruit terrorists; but perhaps it will provide an opportunity for us to learn about the truths of Islam instead of the easily accepted, and misconstrued, perception of hatred and distrust.

As members of a Jesuit university, we must stand strong in the face of extreme ideologies that attempt to discriminate against other faiths.

It is our generation’s responsibility to eliminate prejudices of faith, color, and orientation. Our country was built on the promise of freedom of religion and ideas. If we allow those core values to vanish, we have lost everything we hold dear about the United States. This is not just a matter of religion versus state; this is a conversation

about the most important, most vibrant and living dynamic of our democracy.

SLU, as a Catholic university, provides us an environment to bring a voice of wisdom to any and all debates and issues.

That is our responsibility.

We are one nation, and we must always live by that one

“

It is our generation’s responsibility to eliminate prejudices of faith, color, and orientation.

”

rule that both Christ and Muhammad preached: do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

Derrick Neuner is a senior at Doisy College of Health Sciences

Quality of education is key to economic status, dictates living space Welcome to St. Louis, everybody. Either it is your first time here, or you’ve been a resident for long enough that you’ve started inquiring about which high schools your new friends attended.

If you’re wondering, this is a great city, but it’s also home to one of the most Commentary vivid class divides you’re likely to c o m e across anywhere in America. If you Noah Berman haven’t noticed t h i s separation between upper and lower classes, it’s because it is so well ingrained in the way the city works that it just seems natural.

Here, I’ll show you. We’ll leave from the Busch Student Center and walk north on Grand Blvd. We pass through the “arts district,” check out the shows coming to the Fox, admire the architecture of Powell hall, and then, with barely a hint of fanfare, we come to Delmar.

We look around the intersection to the left and right of us before we cross Delmar, the glory of the entertainment venues. In front of us, across Grand is the VA hospital and a parking lot. Uh oh. We keep walking. Soon we are surrounded by run down housing, paycheck loan centers, a school that looks more like a prison, and the occasional church. All we did was cross over Delmar and keep heading north, and we witnessed a sharp change in the socioeconomic status of our surroundings.

This is all it takes in St. Louis to descend from upper class to lower: cross a street. You can see this phenomenon all over town: look behind those incredible houses on Lindell and all you see are run-down apartment

buildings. Go a few blocks east of the Medical Campus and you see the same effect.

Why, then, don’t we notice this? What is it about this city you’re all now a part of that makes it so easy to ignore those poorer than us, even when they live in our backyard or across our street?

Allow me to suggest an answer, or at least a good guess. You remember that “what high school did you go to?” thing from earlier?

St. Louis is a city of private high schools, institutions of supposedly “better” education that people are willing to pay through the nose to have their kids attend. We are a city in which education only matters if it is expensive or if it can make us look good on a chart. If you can’t pay or can’t get in, what awaits you is a classroom

“

St. Louis is a city of private high schools, institutions of supposedly “better” education...

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filled with as many as 32 kids staffed by one teacher. It’s a system in which education is more or less impossible.

So, we can bundle up and hide-away the people who are a problem on our datasets. Once we’ve hidden them in school - and hidden them from school - we don’t have to see them ever again.

So how can we fix this?

Small class sizes are key. If you’re in a class with, say, 25+ students, there’s simply no way that a teacher (or even in terms of college, a professor) can really teach us anything. I don’t mean that he or she can’t give us

material to memorize – I mean that they cannot present us with material we need to know in a way in which we can internalize and put to use the information. Smaller class sizes equal more personal attention, more interaction, more discussion and more education. More education means more knowledgeable people, which means smarter decisions, which in turn means more people doing better things.

See where I’m going with this? As a “survivor” of the St. Louis Public School system, a former student at one of the few smoothly functioning schools in the district, I have seen first-hand evidence that this works.

We had smaller classes and more teacher interaction, and on the whole, students at my school received a higher quality of education than those at schools overenrolled and under-staffed.

Economic status does not determine teach-ability.

We can all learn, no matter what we have in our bank account. But how we’re taught can mean the difference between one of those nice houses on Lindell and a crappy apartment on the other side of the street. This is a more complicated and a more wide-spread issue than I can easily discuss within the column inches available to me, but I’d like to leave you with this: pay attention.

Notice the disparities and disconnects around you.

Realize that we can change this, and we need to try to figure out how. I think it all comes down to education (i.e. smaller class sizes), but you might have an even better idea. If we can reduce or even eradicate the class divide – in St. Louis, across the country, or even around the world – we can ensure infinitely better lives for ourselves and others.

Noah is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences

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Comic by Washington Irving

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Thursday, August 26, 2010

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Loufest Lineup

OUT ON THE TOWN Ashley’s Picks

Saturday, August 28

Thursday, August 26

12 p.m.

Bottle Rockets

7 p.m.

SLU String Orchestra Rehersal Saint Francis Xavier College Church

1 p.m.

Stephaniesid 2 p.m.

So Many Dynamos 3 p.m.

Adam Reichmann 4 p.m.

Titus Andronicus

Friday, August 27

5 p.m.

Lucero

5 p.m.

Live Loud N Local Music Festival Fubar at 3108 Locust St.

6 p.m.

Airborne Toxic Event submitted photo by Loufest

She & Him will be wrapping up Loufest on Aug. 29. Festival founder Brian Cohen expects them to have the biggest draw.

Saturday, August 28 12-8:30 p.m.

Loufest Forest Park 1 p.m.

Live Loud N Local Music Festival Fubar at 3108 Locust St. 6:30 p.m.

Billiken Music Festival The Busch Student Center Amphitheatre 9 p.m.

Loufest after party and London Calling 4 year anniversary

The Gramophone at 4243 Manchester Ave.

Sunday, August 29 12-8:30 p.m.

Loufest Forest Park 12 p.m.

Live Loud N Local Music Festival Fubar at 3108 Locust St.

Loufest is treat for music lovers Festival features national and local acts

By Ashley Jones Arts Editor

When Brian Cohen moved from Austin to St. Louis, he realized he didn’t want to live in a city without a two-day music festival in a park. It was from this realization that Loufest was created.

This is the first year for the music festival, which will take place in Forest Park Aug. 2829.

Cohen explained that the Loufest team wanted to have the festival in the location that they envisioned could be the long-term location. The park was a natural fit.

“People look at [Forest Park] as, in some way, being in the heart of the city,” he said.

But Cohen didn’t want to step on the toes of any other St. Louis festivals; he needed something to set Loufest apart. This came in the form of a high concentration of na-

8:30 p.m.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin The Firebird at 2706 Olive Blvd.

Wednesday, September 1 5-11p.m.

Karaoke Wednesday with Ric “Music” Louis Tantra-Art Cafe at 3739 Page Blvd.

Thursday, September 2 9 p.m.

Sarah Jaffe The Billiken Club

“It was important to consider the environmental impact of an event like this,” Cohen said.

Several steps are being taken to make the festival green.

One of these steps is providing a refillable water program to reduce plastic bottle waste.

Attendees will be able to stop by the Water Station with an empty water bottle and fill up for free.

“There will be generally very little land filling,” Cohen said.

In addition, AmerenUE Pure Power and 3Degrees will be providing offsets for 100 percent of the electrical usage and all band and audience travel.

There will be a total of 18 bands playing, 9 each day.

The music will start at 12 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m.

For more information about the festival and the lineup, visit www.loufest.com.

Sunday, August 29 12 p.m.

Kim Massie 1 p.m.

Magnolia Summer 2 p.m.

Carolina Chocolate Drops 3 p.m.

Gentleman Auction House 4 p.m.

Cory Chisel 5 p.m.

Fruit Bats 6 p.m.

Alejandro Escovedo 7 p.m.

Jeff Tweedy 8:30 p.m.

She & Him

Sarah Jaffe kicks off season Contributors

9 p.m.

Tenacious Trivia Cafe Ventana at 3919 West Pine Blvd.

ing to Cohen they are “killer” live.

In addition, there are some local artists scattered throughout the lineup such as Adam Reichmann, Magnolia Summer, Kim Massie and Gentleman Auction House.

When deciding which bands to book, the Loufest team reached out to fans through Facebook. They received 200 responses.

“We used those suggestions to craft the lineup,” Cohen said.

According to talent booker Jeff Jarrett, they wanted to get something for everyone. He is optimistic about the turnout of the festival.

“I hope that everyone in St. Louis is supportive, so we can do it year after year,” Jarrett said.

Not only will the festival provide entertainment, but it will be environmentally friendly.

8:30 p.m.

Broken Social Scene

Billiken Club announces fall performance lineup

By Shelby Rozier and Paul Esker

Tuesday, August 31

tional acts.

Among these national acts will be well-known duo She & Him. This group is made up of singer Zooey Deschanel and guitarist Matt Ward. Festival attendees may recognize Deschanel from her roles in movies such as Elf and Yes Man. The pair released their second album, Volume Two, back in March.

Cohen expects that She & Him will have the biggest draw. However, he thinks that Broken Social Scene will have the second biggest. This band released their seventh album, Forgiveness Rock Record, in May. However, it is not the wellknown acts that have Cohen most excited.

“For me some of the most exciting acts are those we have sprinkled throughout the day,” he said.

One of these acts is Airborne Toxic Event. Accord-

7 p.m.

Built To Spill

Saint Louis University’s Billiken Club has just released their fall lineup. So far the club has eight bands lined up for the fall season, including Wavves, Sarah Jaffe and Callers, to name a few.

“We’ve got some really interesting bands lined up for this season,” Billiken Club Staff Manager Chris Grabau said.

Singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe is first up on the lineup.

The Sept. 2 performance is part of her first national tour after three successful prior as main support for Midlake, Norah Jones and Lou Barlow.

Jaffe, a native Texan, blends country, indie-pop, blues and folk influences.

Her debut album Suburban Nature was described as "offering up 13 gems that could make even a hardened critic start throwing around terms like 'the next big thing," by American Songwriter.

When asked how he felt about this season’s lineup compared to last, Grabau mentioned some of the previous bands that have played at the Billiken Club such as Apples in Stereo, Beach House and AA Bondy.

“Each season is a little different” he said.

“It all depends on which show you’re going to and what you’re taste in music is.

We usually have a pretty good turn out for all shows.” booking manager Hunter Hostettler said.

He showed his enthusiasm when talking about this season.

“I really loved last season’s lineup,” Hostettler said, “but I’m very excited for this semester as well. We have a good mix of strong headlining acts, bands that have been around the block for a while and very good rising, up-andcoming groups.”

Bands are booked depending on the albums they have out at the time and their tours.

Other times, bands contact the booking managers at the

Billiken Club asking to play .

“We’re now seen as a viable stop for touring bands,” Grabau said.

The Billiken Club is an all ages club. It is joined with Salsarita’s, an on campus bar and restaurant. All the shows put on by the Billiken Club are free and open to the public.

Junior Lauren Butler explained how she really loved the karaoke night that took place in the club last year for Resident Advisor training.

“I think having a karaoke night for students would be awesome,” Butler said. “I think that the club is very underrated, there is not much marketing out there for it.”

When the Billiken Club doesn’t have bands lined up, it hosts Open Mic Nights. The one that took place last semester received good student reviews.

“We’re experimenting with new ideas and trying to branch out,” Hostettler explained.

For more information on upcoming shows and the venue visit http://thebillikenclub.wordpress.com/.

Melanie Gomez

Singer Sarah Jaffe will be kicking off the Billiken Club’s fall lineup on Sept. 2.

Arts

8

The University News

unewsonline.com

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Music Festival begins second year

By Paul Esker Contributor

Noah Bermant/Photo Editor

This is the second year for the Billiken Music Festival.

Southern Cross Band will be kicking off the festival once again.

If you enjoy friends, free food and music, you are bound to find a good time at the second annual Billiken Music Festival.

The festival returns to the Busch Student Center Amphitheater on Aug. 28 for the first of four Saturday evening concerts.

On the first Saturday, the student-opening act will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by a performance by Southern Cross Band at 7 p.m., with outdoor games planned for afterwards.

“This will be a fun, laid -back atmosphere where people can hang out, enjoy music and meet people too,” said Alex Chapman, event organizer and Billikens After Dark intern.

The festival creator, senior Craig Stoecklin, wanted to bring more music to campus and decided to create an event that would be similar to the music festival at the Missouri Botanical Gardens.

He contacted Chapman, and the festival grew from there.

"We were looking at ways

to expose students to music and the arts,” Chapman said.

Last year the festival was held on Wednesday evenings in April, but organizers decided to move it to Saturday nights this fall so more students would be able to attend.

"We had a few issues with rain last year," Stoecklin said.

This year, they hope to have four rain-free Saturdays so that students can be exposed to all kinds of music.

Organizers are featuring a different genre of music each week. After Southern Cross, the main acts will play jazz, followed by Indie and ending with a cover band.

In addition, the performances will be followed by either a movie or an outdoor game, such as the Bean Bag toss, so that students have more time to socialize.

“There is always something to do after the live music,” Chapman said.

If all that isn't enough, free popcorn and soda will also be offered.

So even if you are not a music buff, make time to come out and see the second annual Billiken Music Festival. It's sure to be a good time.

Chaifetz busiest of its size in nation

By Matt Bommarito Staff Writer

Chaifetz Arena here at Saint Louis University is doing well these days. Amidst a poor economy and declining ticket sales nationwide, Chaifetz was recognized for being the busiest venue of its size for the months of April and May. According to a press release from the magazine Venues Today, Chaifetz arena grossed the most from ticket sales between April 16 and May 15, 2010. According to that press release, Chaifetz had over 41,000 people attend during that time period.

“It means a couple things.

It solidifies our place here in the market and in the industry,” General Manager Jim Wyncoop said.

Essentially, it means that Chaifetz is easily able to compete with venues of similar sizes, in this case, the 10 to 15 thousand seating range.

To be one of the most successful venues in the world is not easy. During that onemonth time period, Chaifetz hosted 14 events.

“It comes from being able to book shows,” Wyncoop said. “It’s our charge to book events, and it’s up to the city and community to support events, which they did in good fashion, to book as many events and sell as many

tickets to get to that level. The more the community supports the events we have, the more events we are able to do.”

And events there will be; Chaifetz has already booked some impressive shows.

Last year, some of Chaifetz’s bigger events included Ben Folds as well as on stage production of Tyler Perry’s Big Happy Family.

This year, there are going to be even larger events.

“For example we have Vampire Weekend coming up,” Wyncoop said, “and if students support it, we will have more events like it.”

In addition to Vampire Weekend and Beach House on Oct. 3, There is also a So

You Think You Can Dance performance on Sept. 25, Disney On Ice Princess Classic from Sept. 16-19, Carrie Underwood on Dec. 1 and Cirque de Soleil in January.

Furthur, a band made up of Phil Lesh and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, along with John Kadlecik of Dark Star Orchestra, will be playing a show on Nov. 11.

Wyncoop said that not all of the events are particularly targeted for students, but some are for families and the community.

It should be noted that Chaifetz has an active online presence, which includes a Facebook page as well as a service called cyber-club.

By being a fan on Facebook or in cyber-club, one is able to get information about upcoming shows before most other people.

Also many of the student events are relatively cheap, or in the case of Ben Folds, completely free.

According to Assistant General Manager Bob Kehm, Vampire Weekend and Carrie Underwood are only going to cost about $36.

For more information about upcoming shows or the arena visit www.thechaifetzarena.com.

Be a Billiken: there’s an app for that Be a

By Madeline Hendren Staff Writer

Late for class on the first day of school and can’t find Tegler Hall? Don’t worry; there’s an app for that. Is it the night before your project is due, and you can’t find your partner’s e-mail among the stacks of Post-Its, papers and textbooks on your desk? No problem; there’s an app for that too.

There are thousands of applications for the iPhone- from games to news to social networking and now there is one more. The “Be a Billiken” application is a new way for Saint Louis University students with iPhones, Smartphones and PDAs to stay in touch. It is a creative new application that does “anything from finding a professor’s email address to news and events,” project manager Chris Koerner said.

Features include campus maps, news, events, People Finder, athletics, twitter and more.

“We wanted to highlight what student organizations and individuals are doing and connect students to each other,” Koerner said.

He explained that the idea for creating an application for the iPhone came from looking into mobile traffic on the SLU website. They found that the iPhone was used more than any other mobile phone to access SLU services, like People Finder and campus maps.

“We knew we could create an app; that part was easy,” Koerner said. “What was more important was to turn the process into a learning experience.”

Koerner approached junior

William Sutton about creating an iPhone application while he was working for Information Technology Services during his sophomore year.

“I thought it was a very interesting project,” Sutton said. “The fact that I’m a student helps with this because it gives an inside view of what actually needs to be included in the application.”

This was his first time trying out programming, but nine months later, after two tries and some fine-tuning, he came out with the 1.0 version of the application.

Since the application was released in early June, it has been downloaded more than 1,100 times.

“I’ve heard reports of people that have this application and use it on a nearly daily basis,” Sutton said.

Sutton and Koerner are already working on additional features for the application including a reader for the University News, which includes full print articles.

“We’re starting off small and will continue to grow the app in new ways,” Koerner said.

Comments and suggestions can be submitted through a feature on the application giving students a chance to voice their opinions and share what they would like to see.

“I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made on the app,” Sutton said, “and I look forward to making more progress on it.”

For more information on the application and how to download it, visit http://www.sluconnection. com/2010/06/21/be-a-billiken-theres-an-app-for-that/.

String orchestra seeks members

By Brenda Lopez Contributor

If you’re looking for a place to sit back, relax and enjoy some music, Saint Francis Xavier College Church is the place to be on Aug. 26.

The Saint Louis University string orchestra will host a rehearsal that will be a part of “No Strings Attached,” which is hosted by the SLU music department. The orchestra consists not only of students and staff, but also of St. Louis civilians.

This year marks the second year that the SLU string orchestra has been in full swing, having had two concerts this past year. This year promises to be a bit different.

“Bigger!” Chris Wintrode said. “We’ll be performing different pieces, and we have plans of reaching out to local high schools.”

Anyone is welcome to join as long as they have three years of experience and play one of the following instruments: violin, viola, cello or bass. Members of the orchestra range from medical students to law students, from staff to members of the community, as well as underclassmen.

Recruitment is done by advertising or by simply spreading the word out to teachers, other organizations and parents.

“It started as a small ensemble, but the students wanted an orchestra, and I saw the potential. I said I’d do it if they helped recruit,” said founder Mark Thayer.

The rehearsal will take place tonight at 7p.m. For more information on the String Orchestra visit http:// www.facebook.com/group. php?gid=82334185628.

The University News

Sports Billiken Briefs

Talk to us: Chris Ackels 314.977.2812 sports.unews@gmail.com

Thursday, August 26, 2010

unewsonline.com

>>2010 SOCCER PREVIEW

Marathon

SLU will host the Billiken 5K on Sept.

5 at 8:00. The race begins at Chaifetz Arena and loops around Saint Louis University’s Frost Campus. Proceeds benefit the SLU Cancer Center.

School Spirit

This year SLU will participate in the national “Wear Your Colors Day” on Friday, Sept. 3. Fans are encouraged to wear Billiken Blue to support SLU sports.

Softball

Christy Connoyer has been named head coach of the Billiken softball program. She is the tenth coach in the program’s history.

She comes to SLU from SIU-Carbondale.

Inside

our

Preview

>>Meet Mike McGinty >>Alex Sweetin aims high >>Do Americans enjoy soccer? >>Seniors lead the young and bold

Next time in The University News Volleyball Preview Thursday, Sept. 2 • A comedic conversation with head coach Anne Kordes • How will the Bills rebuild after losing key seniors?

• Does SLU have a shot at the A-10 title this year?

Men’s Soccer SLU

Evansville

1 1 SLU

Louisville

0 0 Women’s Soccer SLU

Arkansas

1 1 SLU

Memphis

1 2 SLU

Murray State

0 0

Ryan Giacomino/ Photography

From left: James Dice, Stephen Bartolon, Alex Sweetin and Jimmy Holmes

‘A new era of soccer’

Under Mike McGinty, America’s most storied program seeks renewed glory

By ANDREW BUSH Senior Staff Writer

The final preseason exhibition game for the Saint Louis University men’s soccer team will begin tomorrow, Aug. 27 at 7:00 pm at Hermann Stadium against SIU-Edwardsville.

After that, the games count for real.

Head coach Mike McGinty says that while the result of an exhibition game is important, the real importance of an exhibition game is the high-level training it provides for the regular season.

Once the regular season starts, at the University of New Mexico on Wednesday, Sept. 1, the Billikens will begin their attack on a litany of ambitious goals.

“We have goals in our locker room that we look at every day: we want to be the national champion; we want to be the regular-season Atlantic 10 champion; and we want to be the conference tournament champion,” McGinty said.

“So those are things we put out there that are definitely tangible goals, and we’re trying to figure out the best way

to get there.”

The Billikens’ many goals for this season form a sort of pyramid. At the bottom of the pyramid are character-related qualities, such as discipline and teamwork. These characteristics provide the foundation for the higher-order goals, such as the conference championship and the NCAA

“

We need to have high expectations here with the histor y this school has had.

—Stephen Borolon

”

championship.

On Aug. 9, the head coaches of all the men’s soccer teams in the A-10 picked SLU to win the conference.

Senior James Dice says that more is expected of the players on the men’s soccer team, both on and off the field.

“In training, we’re more structured; we’re more orga-

Meet Tim Ream, the big deal you’ve never heard of

nized,” Dice said. “The intensity has gone up a lot since [McGinty’s] arrival in spring.

People are a lot more accountable for things they do on and off the field. Responsibility for the older guys is there.”

If they are to achieve their lofty goals, including a target of fewer than 10 goals allowed all season, the Billikens will have to rely on a combination of returning talent and an influx of newcomers.

Seven players who made starts last season return to the squad. At the same time, 10 players will be on SLU’s regularseason roster for the first time.

“We have 10 players out of 30 who are new,” McGinty said. “So just doing the math, a third of my players are brand new guys.

So some of them better help out, or we’re in trouble.”

Two Billikens earned spots on the preseason A-10 all-rookie team: incoming freshmen Christian Briggs, from Trinidad and Tobago, and Adnan Gabeljic, from St. Louis.

Sophomore midfielder

Alex Sweetin and junior midfielder/forward Mike Roach also earned preseason A-10 plaudits, being named to the preseason all-conference team. But despite all the high expectations and preseason honors, McGinty, who last year served as an assistant at the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference, knows that his first year in charge of the program will be a learning process.

“Once I’ve had a season to look back on and evaluate, then I’ll have a better understanding of the league and how it differs from the ACC, if it does,” McGinty said.

“My approach will be the same: try to get ready and try to win the league. Soccer is soccer, whether you’re in the A-10 or the ACC; it’s just the letters that are different.

Everybody wants to play and win.”

Senior midfielder Stephen Bortolon doesn’t have a problem with the high expectations for this year’s team.

“We need to have high expectations here with the history this school has had,” Bortolon said.

“I feel like we do have a

young team, but we are completely capable of competing at the highest level of college soccer.

“And we had a couple unlucky breaks at the end of last season. We’ll definitely make it as far, if not farther, See “New Era” on Page 11

2009 Season Statistics Season Record

15-7

Home Record

8-3

Conference Record

7-2-0

Number of NCAA Appearances

46

Last NCAA Title

1973

Goalkeeper saves Billikens

By MAHA SALMAN Contributor

You probably do not know who Tim Ream is. You should.

He’s all the buzz in New York City and could be America’s next soccer superstar.

Let me Commentary introduce you to Tim Ream.

T h e former AllAmerican played four years for the Billikens Derrick Neuner as their all-star defender. He was named the 2009 Atlantic 10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award while helping the team to post seven shutouts that year.

He now plays for the New York Red Bulls.

And he could be on his way to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. Ream left Saint Louis University with a reputation that preceded him. Known as an aggressive-but-quiet

defender, he had several chances to leave college and pursue professional ball, yet he never tried out for the development programs. He never won a national championship but is only the Billiken in the last five years to go into the MLS. Bring up a flattering question – how do you feel about being a Rookie of the Year candidate – and he courteously sidesteps the question.

Meek as he is humble. I blame SLU. Perhaps that’s why he has found such big success so quickly in the Big Apple.

I asked Ream what he thinks of New York. “It’s different than St. Louis,” he said.

What a nice guy.

But don’t let the soft guy image paint the wrong picture. Ream is quickly earning a reputation as one of the best young defenders in the nation.

Fellow teammates Juan Pablo Angel and Thierry Henry, both global superstars, have noted his tenacity and intenSee “Ream” on page 10

This fall, the women’s soccer team has been brewing with excitement. But no team is successful without setbacks or conficts.

Before the season started, goalkeeper Hannah Perr y transferred away from SLU. Just one day into camp this fall, the team lost one of their goal keepers to an injury.

Head coach Tim Champion seemed to be struggling to find the right player to fill the position.

But it was fifth-year senior Amber Zdanovec who came to the team’s rescue, taking over the reins for the upcoming season.

Zdanovec had a year of eligibility left, even after graduating. The medical student had actually started coaching before the unexpected news of coming back to the team.

Champion delivered the news to Amber, who was immediately excited to get back to the action, and get back in net.

Zdanovec has been a true inspiration to the other members on the team. It’s not

Erin Twiehaus/Photographer

Graduate student Amber Zdanovec (standing) teaches teammate Katie Walsh the fundamentals of goalkeeping. just her experience and her background; it’s her perseverance, her work ethic, and her complete commitment to the program.

“It really turned out for the best,” said Champion.

Her dedication and hard work earned her much respect from her team mates and from the coach. She has always been a soccer fan, and goalkeeper has been her position from an early age.

But Zdanovec has also always been dreaming for the chance to practice medicine.

Since middle school, it has been her dream to attend medical school.

Through work experience and sports related activity she is hoping to one day become an Orthopedic Surgeon.

Though medical school keeps her busy, she says See “Goalie” on Page 10

Sports

10

unewsonline.com

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Veteran Bills mentor, lead young club

Americans warm up to Holmes, Dice feed off experience, expectations in their final year as Billikens soccer

By CHRIS ACKELS Sports Editor

It’s a team of new coaches, new faces, even new uniforms. The men’s soccer team, under new head coach Mike McGinty, stands out as the youngest squad in the Atlantic 10, yet still the favorites to take home the conference crown.

The roster includes 9 freshmen and 11 sophomores, while holding only six juniors and three seniors. But despite the lack of experience in the clubhouse, there is no lack of leadership.

James Dice and Jimmy Holmes have been around the Billiken soccer program for five years now. As fifthyear seniors, the two graduate students are the seasoned veterans of this squad.

“We always joke about how long we’ve been here,” says Holmes, a forward who has started to arise as the face of this team.

Holmes suffered a knee injury early in the season last year and was granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA. Though he originally expected to graduate last December, Holmes instead decided to add a second major and stay on campus for another year.

“At first I was disappointed to be hurt,” added Holmes, “but now I see it as a great opportunity. I get to play one more year here, with such a good, young team.”

Holmes dealt with injuries in each of his previous four years at SLU, but had a particularly impressive sophomore season in 2007. That year, he scored in each of the Billikens’ final six games, including a game-winning goal against Temple.

This year, under a new coaching staff, Holmes understands his role could be just as important off the field.

Ryan Giacomino/Photographer

Seniors Jimmy Holmes (left) and James Brice (right) will lead a young team with a new coach with hopes of a national title.

“It’s a new style of practice, and a new style of play,” says Holmes about the Billikens’ new coaching staff. “But we couldn’t be happier about where the program is headed.”

Holmes is one of three seniors on this year’s roster, along with midfielders James Dice and Stephen Bartolon.

Dice, too, is in his fifth year with the program.

As a starter last year, Dice proved impactful on both sides of the ball. He was an anchor in SLU’s defense throughout the season, but remained a regular scoring threat late in games.

Dice scored in each of

SLU’s NCAA Tournament games last year, including a final-minute goal in the second round against Tulsa to send the game into overtime.

But Dice would be the first to say that the best days are ahead for SLU soccer.

“We have such a high level of excitement for this season because we are setting our goals very high,” says Dice.

“We have a pyramid of goals; if you do the things on the bottom then that will lead you to the top,” continues Dice. “At the bottom of the pyramid are character values like discipline, teamwork and leadership.”

It is those character values

that the seniors hope to instill on their underclassmen teammates.

The team is loaded with freshmen and sophomores.

Young standouts like Nick Maglasang, Alex Sweetin and Jordan Wolff saw plenty of time on the pitch last year and will likely help carry the team on the field this year.

But carrying the team off the field will be those seniors.

Holmes, Dice and Bartolon have been with the program and have seen it develop, and now are helping to carry it through a major transition.

“Losing [Coach] Donigan was a shock at first,” says

Dice. “We waited and waited and finally got Coach McGinty, and it has really been a breath of fresh air.”

McGinty started working with the team this August.

As an assistant coach at Virginia last year, McGinty was known for his successful recruiting and his crucial role in developing the Cavaliers’ nationally-recognized soccer program.

Virginia won the NCAA National Championship in men’s soccer last season.

“We have a new attitude this year,” says Dice. “We see it as a new era of soccer, and I think it’s going to be a good one.”

McGinty arrives with big goals

By BREA IRVIN Contributor

This year’s soccer field, Herman Stadium, is flooded with blue and white, soccer players being led by head coach, Mike McGinty.

With a history of holding the title for winning more men’s college championships than any other school in Division I, SLU is looking to continue ≠the intensity.

McGinty established similar goals with the team for 2010-2011, which are posted in the locker room as a reminder of where dedication and hard work will take them.

McGinty comes after eight years as associate head coach at the University of Virginia. recruiter, where he won a title.

He graduated from Wake Forrest in 1995 before having a succesful professional career with the Charlotte Kickers and DC United.

The new Billiken head coach has one mantra: “things that can be achieved with sup-

port. Bringing together the [St. Louis] community, have them behind the boys.”

McGinty began his regime as head coach in the spring with conditioning and weight training for the 29 players, with strength coach Scott Scarland. The players had to be prepared for the fall, he said.

An imposing figure, McGinty emulates his coaches and the impact they had on him. While doing likes doing things his way, “it takes everybody to get there,” he said.

Perhaps more than anything, the new coach, only the sixth in school history, realizes the tradition of SLU soccer.

With 11 titles, the Billikens have amassed a very dedicated fanbase across the nation, one that does not enjoy losing.

“Every school has a certain rhythm of operating,” McGinty said. “I beginning to figure out [SLU’s] rhythm.”

Ironically, the man who McGinty replaced, Dan

Donigan, suggested he interview for the job.

“I was excited for the opportunity and the potential,” he said. “I got lucky. Fortunately [athletic director] Chris May and [University President] Father Biondi took a chance on me.”

McGinty’s presence has already affected recruiting.

Freshman Sito Sasieta says his mind was changed when SLU announced the hiring of McGinty.

“In my mind I had already decided on a different school other than SLU, but when I talked to Coach McGinty I knew that if I was serious about soccer I needed to come here. I’ve never played for another coach so driven towards winning. I’m willing to bet there is not another coach more competitive.”

As for the fans, McGinty tells them to expect a whole new game on the field.

“Expect exciting games, more interaction ... more energy.. We will do our best to represent the school.”

Ryan Giacomino/Photographer

Mike McGinty watches his team play Aug. 20 against Evansville. The Billikens drew a 1-1 tie.

Ream: former Billiken could be World Cup bound Continued from Page 9

Infographic by Briana Radici and Ryan Giacomino

Goalie: balances medical school, soccer Continued from Page 9

playing soccer gives her a chance to stay involved and keep relaxed.

“They say to have a lot to have other hobbies and activities,” says Zdanovec.

“I guess instead of working out at the Rec Center or taking an hour or two to watch a

movie, I just practice.”

But overall, she’s more than just a successful student.

Zdanovec excels in her classes at the Medical Campus, just as she did during her undergrad years at SLU. Through her loyalty to her team mates, Amber won the Billikens’ Sweetspot Award in recognition of her willingness to help her teammates.

Champion describes her as someone who all the girls love.

For a coach, Zdanovec is truly an asset worth more than just a few saves in the net.

For the team, they have a senior leader to look up to. And for Zdanovec, always thinking of the team, that’s all that matters.

sity on the field. Soccer America, and even ESPN, have picked up on Ream’s style of play.

While I continued with the flattery as we spoke on the phone, Tim reminded me “it was difficult [transitioning] at first. The speed of play is faster and it’s more physical.” The transition must have gone well enough – the former Billiken has started all 21 games for the Red Bulls this season.

“I’ve always believed in the way I play and the way I approach the game,” he continued. “I wanted to come into a team and be part of a team and have the opportunity to play every day.

Looking back on it, it comes as a big surprise. I’m happy about, but it’s not what I expected. “ It’s a success story that many saw in the making but never expected would take off so quickly. A year ago, Ream would have been preparing for the first regular season game with SLU. Last week, he defended against L.A. Galaxy’s Landon Donovan.

You’ve probably heard of

him.

Ream’s teammates have nicknames for him – “Roy,” for Rookie of the Year, and “The Prodigy.” But he takes the kidding in stride; his demeanor exudes humility with a strong sense of confidence.

“I’ve had some good opportunities thrown my way. It’s wild to be in your first professional season, not even a full season in, and your name’s being thrown around to be on the national team.”

It will be even wilder if he makes the U.S. national club.

The chance to represent our cIt could be a Billiken scoring a goal to advance the U. S. of A. He had the Netherlands over Spain this year, by the way. I think the kid knows his soccer.

And if he doesn’t make it – “if it happens, it happens,” he says – there’s no doubt that Tim Ream is making a big name for himself in NYC. He’ll keep plugging away regardless of the next step.

But Tim, just so you know, Brazil, like New York, is very different from St. Louis. Be prepared.

We’ll see you there.

Once every four years in some seemingly distant land (and occasionally on Commentary American soil), a seemingly foreign sport hosts its highest form of competition.

Players Joe George w i t h unfamiliar names like “Fabre-gas,” “Robben” and “Klose” abide by a faintly familiar set of rules as they gallivant around on something called a “pitch” (apparently it’s the same thing as a field).

For most Americans, soccer is too slow, too wimpy and too darn…un-American. In this country, gladiators play football with pads and mouth guards.

Added time is called overtime and it comes into play when four quarters are not enough to settle the score.

In the rare case of a tie, fans complain for weeks on end.

Football enthusiasts celebrate iron men like Brett Favre for their ability to fight through pain and do whatever possible to take the field.

Football becomes futbol, an un-American word to say the Unless a player has torn their ACL or shattered a fibula, lying on the ground in pain amounts to mortal sin.

So why is soccer’s coverage growing in a country whose most popular sport is unquestionably fast-paced and instantly gratifying?

Soccer’s differences from typically “American” sports make it that much more appealing. Peculiarly enough, millions upon millions somehow find a way to sit through eighty-nine minutes of scoreless soccer during the World Cup in the hopes that the ball might find the back of the net for their country.

As the old saying goes, “half the fun is getting there.”

At times, the ebb and flow of a soccer game can be unmatched by any other athletic competition. As such, it is an inherently social sport.

As the ball flutters back and forth along the pitch in a sort of unpredictable dance, so to do the hearts of passionate soccer fans hoping to cheer their side to victory.

In that respect, soccer is the most American sport of them all. All men and women can experience the equality of screaming their lungs out in support for the “’yanks.”

Drunken and sober pubgoers alike hold these truths to be self-evident: Obviously the players from the other countries are faking injuries, it’s soccer.

If an American player is on the ground for more than two seconds, you yell at him to quit trying to draw the foul.

Vuvuzelas are the most annoying noisemaker in the histor y of sports…unless American fans use them.

Okay, even Americans need to retire use of the vuvuzelas.

The “bafana bafana” spirit of South Africa was fun while it lasted, but seriously, enough.

Last but not least, if a member of Team USA magically manages to sneak a ball past the opposing keeper, as an American you are obligated to scream and cheer like your favorite football team just won the Super Bowl.

If your fellow countrymen surround you, the beersoaked breath of the red, white and blue hooligan standing at attention next to you may have impaired your senses.

That does not keep the yelling at bay. For the next few seconds it is impossible to hear anything but the chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!” Soccer’s appeal instantly becomes apparent in the moments after a score. The shear communal joy of celebration opens up a new world to fans of the game. As euphoria engulfs viewers, strangers become friends, disinterest melts into pandemonium and anything seems possible.

For every criticism of soccer that critics may put forth, there is a moment that may take your breath away.

Soccer may be the type of “foreign” sport most Americans only pay attention to once every four years, but the positives of the game are ideals that are deeply ingrained in the spirit of the United States.

Sports

11

unewsonline.com

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Infographic by Brianna Radici

>>GAMES TO WATCH S. FLORIDA

TULSA

DRAKE

CHARLOTTE

SLU’s first home game of the year features the No. 16 ranked Bulls of South Florida, a soccer powerhouse from the Big East. South Florida is all about defense. Goalkeeper Jeff Attinella was recently named the preseason Goalkeeper of the Year for the Big East, and the senior has a number of top-notch defenders in front of him. Last season, the Bulls allowed just 18 goals in their 21 games.

The Billikens visit Tulsa in midSeptember to face the Golden Hurricanes, the highest ranked team on SLU’s schedule. Tulsa earned a preseason ranking of No. 7 after last year’s trip to the Regional Finals. The Golden Hurricanes were just one step away from the College Cup last year and returned most of their key starters. SLU faced Tulsa twice last year, including a 5-4 overtime loss at home in September, and a 4-3 overtime loss in Tulsa during the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

This year’s Homecoming game features another nationally-ranked program in the Drake Bulldogs. Drake is a young team this year, looking to make noise in the Missouri Valley Conference. Despite their No. 14 ranking nationally, Drake is a largely unproven squad that is heavy on sophomores. The young guns will depend heavily on a handful of senior leaders, including Matt Kahn and Keenan Malicevic.

While not the strongest soccer conference in the nation, the Atlantic 10 provides for a number of challenges for the Billikens. Charlotte is expected to be the frontrunner in contending for the crown, and SLU will have to take care of business against the 49ers to ensure their spot as the dominant team in the Atlantic 10. While the two teams meet in Charlotte in late October, don’t be surprised to see them meet again in the conference tournament in November.

Sweetin looks for big year

Sophomore midfielder is confident team ‘can play better’

By DERRICK NEUNER Associate Sporte Editor

For Alex Sweetin, soccer is a family affair. It’s in his blood, after all; his brother, both his parents, even his grandparents, have chased the checkered ball across a field. He played baseball and basketball in high school, but it was always soccer that kept calling him back.

It’s not surprising, then, that the sophomore is making waves as a midfielder­ for the Saint Louis University Billikens.

Originally from Overland Park, Kas., Sweetin was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year after starting all 22 matches for the Billikens, leading the team with six assists, and scoring 12 goals. Sweetin, who was heavily recruited by Indiana and Creighton, had no difficulties choosing SLU over the other Midwestern schools.

“My brother went here; I have tons of family here,” he said. “I knew a lot of the guys on the team, so I knew they were good guys. SLU has the most tradition out of any school in the country for soccer. I just wanted to come in and win another national championship because it’s been a while.”

Sweetin’s confidence is what drives him on the field.

After showing his talent and potential last season, the sophomore was tabbed as an A-10 Pre-Season All-Conference team selection by the coaches of the conference.

But he stays unsatisfied.

Among his goals for this year are to “start every game and continue building on last year.”

“I didn’t have a ton of goals or assists last year, but I’m hoping I can just help the team

out anyway I can, even if I’m not scoring goals. Hopefully I’m putting guys in the right position to score goals.”

Named team captain by head coach Mike McGinty for the first two exhibition games, Sweetin has embraced a leadership role on a team with 11 sophomores and nine freshmen. He has quietly, and confidently, stepped in as a leader among the sophomores and hopes to be able to push his other teammates on the field.

“Last year I was establishing myself to be a leader in my class, and this year I came in with a new attitude, I wanted to lead the team,” Sweetin said. “I know I’m just a sophomore … but I have a ton of respect for [my older teammates], because they were the ones who got me to this position.”

Sweetin will be asked to fill a void left by Tim Ream, who regularly captained the team and provided stability.

And he’s handling the position well. After two exhibition games, Sweetin is the only Billiken with a goal. He scored the lone goal in a match on Aug. 20 against Evansville.

The match was a draw, with a score of 1-1.

His new coach, McGinty shares Sweetin’s ultimate goal: SLU’s eleventh national championship. Sweetin will have the unique opportunity to help the team transition into the head coach’s style.

“He’s raising this program to another level,” Sweetin said. “He wants to win another national championship so bad for this school. You can tell he just has so much pride in his work. I think everyone is really embracing the change [from former coach Dan Donigan].”

If SLU is going to reach that level, they will need a

‘New Era’: Team prepares for challenges of season Continued from Page 9

than last year.” If the 2010 edition of SLU is to advance further than last year’s squad, they will have to do so without two of the most important individuals from last year’s squad.

The most notable departure was former head coach Dan Donigan, who is currently coaching at Rutgers University after 13 years coaching at SLU. Former defender Tim Ream also must be replaced in the Billikens’ back line. Ream was drafted by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer and has made 21 starts this season.

Ream’s current teammates include French striker Thierry Henry, Mexican defender Rafael Marquez, and Colombian forward Juan Puablo Angel.

McGinty says finding a replacement for Ream can’t be a distraction for the team.

“I think you have to just give another kid a chance.

He’s not going to look like Tim Ream, he probably won’t play like Tim Ream, he’s gotta be himself,” McGinty said.

“We got guys that are capable of coming in and helping. Do we have a guy whose going to come in and play like Tim Ream?

“I’m not really sure because I’ve never worked with him, but we definitely have a lot of holes to fill. Not only with Tim,” McGinty continued.

Whoever steps into the starting lineup this season will be charged with a typically ambitious goal that the Billikens have set for themselves this year: to concede less than ten goals all season. “I think everybody is excited, positive, and open-minded. and we’re getting a lot done as quickly as possible,” McGinty said.

They will find out as soon as the season begins. The Billikens take on two nationally ranked teams and NCAA contenters in the first two weeks, South Florida and Drake.

Women’s soccer takes on Memphis

Ryan Giacomino/Photographer

Sweetin (right) celebrates with teammate Michel Robson after scoring a goal during an exhiition against Evansville tremendous contribution from Sweetin on the field.

The Billikens were selected to win the A-10 title this year, but are expected to advance beyond last year’s second round exit from the NCAA tournament, something they have not done since moving to the A-10 in 2004.

“We know that we can

only do better than last year,” Sweetin said. “We’re not going be satisfied by just winning another A-10 championship. McGinty, he’s got a ton of experience; we know that we have to be better than last year in every aspect.

“We’re gonna have to take our game to a whole new level.”

Noah Berkman/Photographer

Saint Louis University women’s soccer players defend against a Memphis player during their first game of the year on Aug. 20 at Robert Hermann Memorial Stadium.

The Billikens dropped the match 2-0 after being delayed an hour due to weather. SLU is 0-1-2 in exhibition play. They begin their season 0-2 and will face Townson on Aug. 27.

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